Invalid bathing device



Oct. 29, 1957 R. c. HAMlLTON 2,310,914

INVALID BATHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1954 u INVENTOR ROBERT G. HAMILTON ATTORNEYS INVALID BATHING DEVICE Robert C. Hamilton, South Bend, Ind.

Application September 3, 1954, Serial No. 454,010

8 Claims. (Cl. 4-.1)

This invention relates to a bathing attachment for a conventional toilet bowl to enable a semi-invalid to be bathed with 'less effort than with the conventional facilities.

The conventional bathing facilities are unsatisfactory for bathing semi-invalids for many reasons. In the case of the usual bathtub, the patient cannot either get in or out by himself. If assisted into the tub by an attendant it is very difficult for him to get out as it imposes a great physical strain upon the attendant to reach over the tub to help lift him; this is especially true of the [recessed type-tub that is now in extensive use. Sometimes an attempt is made to seat the patient on the side of the tub but generally this is quite unsafe unless two attendants assist in the bath, one to support the patient while the other one carries on the bathing operation. Ordinarily a shower is quite impossible as the patient is unable to stand. All of the foregoing expedients are also unsatisfactory because of the mess that is caused. In some cases a considerable amount of Water is dripped on the floor and in every case the attendants clothes are gotten so wet that they must be changed immediately afterwards.

The alternative to such a bath has heretofore been a bath in bed. This requires some special skill on the part of the attendant, considerable room around the bed for the attendant to work and is make-shift at best. What is frequently the worst consequence of the bath in bed is the bad physiological effect upon the patient who tends to feel that he is a hopeless bed-fast case. Thus his own recovery is delayed by the feeling of inferiority created. j

This invention is directed to a simple and ineXPQB ive device that can be attached to a conventional bathroom facility with little requirement for skill or elfort. It does not interfere with the normal use of the facility and when the need for its. use is .past it can be removed without injury to the fixture.

For a fuller understanding of the invention attention is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the device as it is arranged for bathing, while Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section as indicated along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the drawings reference numeral refers to a conventional toilet bowl equipped with water tank 12. Mounted on the flanges of the rim of the bowl is body pan 14 provided with a back 16 that is generally vertical up to the height of the water tank while above that it flares broadly outwards into sides 18. The body pan has a front lip 2'8 and the whole pan has an outwardly rolled rim 22 smoothly finished to prevent injury to the portions of the body coming in contact with it. The pan has a center opening 24 generally conforming to the opening of the toilet bowl. It may be formed of polished rust resisting metal, reinforced molded plastic or conventional carbon steel finished in rust proof enamel.

The body pan 14 is secured to the toilet bowl 10 by means of bolt threaded hinge posts 26 which are sub- States attentice 14 having aback 42 with flaring sides 44, a foot tray 46 with front wall 48 to hold drained water. The foot pan 40 also has a slightly rounded rim 50 and at the upperback a rearwardly turned lip 52 cooperating with the front lip 20 of the body pan 14.

During the bathing process the foot pan 40 is placed in engagement withthe body pan 14 and the tray atthe base of the foot pan will catch water running down into it. At the conclusion of the bathing operation the water that has accumulated in the tray may be easily emptied by raising the foot pan to the position shown in dash lines inFigu-re 2 so that the water can run out of the foot pan into the opening 24 and thus be drained away. The footpan can then be placed to one side .out of the.

way and thus will not interfere with the normal use of the fixture.

During the bathing operation the attendant may either hold in one. hand a suitable pan of water for the bathing; operation or if desired a shower head 58 may be provided for supplying water in the usual manner.

It will'be observed that there is sufficient room around the outer rim of the pans including foot space for the attendant to move freely about the patient to conduct the bathing operation while at the same time there is sufficient room within the flaring sides of the pans for the attendants hands to be moved to any part of the patients body for the bathing operation. The attendant is largely pro tected from water splashing and can conduct the task with comfort and convenience. The seat is sufficientlyraised so that the bathing operations can be conducted around it and this arrangement also facilitates the use of the apparatus for irrigation also if that is desired.

It will thus be seen that the present invention providesan improved and economical apparatus adding to thecomfort and convenience of the users thereof and while the invention has been specifically described and exemplified herein, this should not be construed in a limiting sense since'the breadth and scope of the inventionareas defined in the following claims.

I claim: 1. A bath attachment for a conventional toiletbowl comprising a body section adapted to be seated on the rim of the toilet bowl, said body section being formed as a pan, the rim thereof ranging, at the back, from high and outwardly flaring to low at the front, an opening in the base of the pan corresponding generally to the toilet bowl opening, whereby the pan drains completely into said toilet bowl, additional openings in the base of the pan corresponding to the conventional seat bolt holes of the toilet bowl whereby the pan may be bolted to the toilet bowl rim and bolt means for securing the pan to the rim.

2. A bath attachment for a conventional toilet bowl comprising a body section adapted to be seated on the rim of the toilet bowl, said body section being formed as a pan, the rim thereof ranging, at the back, from high and outwardly flaring to low at the front, an opening in the base of the pan corresponding generally to the toilet bowl opening, whereby the pan drains completely into said toilet bowl, a foot-andleg section including a shallow foot receiving pan having the rear portion elongated to leg height, the upper rim being outwardly turned to overlie the front rim of the body portion and means for securing the pan in position on said bowl rim.

The seat 32 is secured 3. bath attachment fora conventional toilet bowl comprising a body section adapted to be seated on the rim of the'toilet bowl, said body section having a base pan Tportion jwithghigh, wide-flaring back and ,s'idepor-w ,tions, and ailow frontfportion, the'whole rim forming a smooth continuous curve, an opening in the base of the pan corresponding, generally the toilet bowl opening, whereby the pan drains completely into said toilet bowl, additional openings in the base oflthe panicorrresponding to the conventional, seat bolt holes of thejtoilet bowl whereby the pan may be bolted to the toilet bowl rim, a foot-and-leg' section including a shallow foot receiving pan having the rear portion elongated to leg height, vthe upper, rirn .beingoutwardly turned to overlie the front rim ofithe body portion and a seatprovided with con-, ventional hinged bolts, said bolts, serving to secure the body portion ofthe toiletbowl. I i V 4QA'bathiattachmentfor a conventional toilet bowl comprising a body section adapted to be seated ,on the of the toilet bowl, said body section-being formed as;'a pan,'the. rim thereof ranging, at the back, from high and outwardly flaring to low at the front, an opening', in the base of the pan corresponding generally to the toilet bowlopening, whereby the pan drains completely into said toilet bowl, additional openings in the base;. of the pan corresponding to the conventional, seat bolt holes of the toilet bowl whereby the pan may be bolted to the toilet bowl rim and a seat provided with conventional hingedbolts, said'bolts serving to secure *the body portion of the toilet bowl.

5. A bath attachment for arconventional toilet bowl comprising a body section adapted'to be' seated on the rim ofthe toilet 'bowl, said body section'beingl formed as a pan, the rim thereof ranging, at the back, from high and' outwardly flaring to low at the front, an opening in therb'aselof the pan corresponding generally to the toilet bowl opening, whereby the pan drains completely into the seat is elevated above the pan of the body portion suflicient to allow passage of a hand below said seat.

6. A bath attachment fora conventional toilet bowl comprising a body section adapted to be seated on the rim of the toilet bowl, said body section being formed as a-pan, the rim thereof ranging, at the back, from 7 high and outwardly flaring to low at the front, an opening in the base of the pan corresponding generally to the toilet bowl opening, whereby the pan drains completely 7 into said toiletbowl, additional'openings in the base of the pan corresponding to the conventional seat bolt holes of the toilet bowl whereby the pan may be bolted to the toilet bowl rim, bolt means for securing the pan to the rim including flared bosses on said bolts, gasket means V interposed between the bosses and the inner surface of the pan for sealing the pan against leakage, a foot-and-leg section including a shallow foot receiving pan having the rear portion elongated to leg height, the upper rim being outwardly turned to overlie the 'front' rim of the body portion and sidesof said foot section being extended forwardly and flared outwardly from the rear thereof.

'7. A bath,atta'chment for a conventional toilet bowl 7 V comprisinga body section adapted to be seated on the rim of the toilet bowl; said body section being formed 7 as a pan, the rim thereof ranging, at the back, from high V and outwardly flaring to low at the front, an opening in the base of the pan corresponding generally to the of the toilet bowl whereby the pan may be bolted to the toilet bowl rim, a-seat provided with conventional hinged bolts, said bolts serving to secure the body portion of the toilet, bowl, including flared bosses on said bolts,

gasket means interposed between the bosses and the inner. 7 surface of, the pan for sealing the pan against leakage and stilt means under said seat whereby the seat is elevatedlabove the .pan of the body portion suficient to, 7 allow passage of a hand below said seat.

v 8. A bath attachment for a conventional toilet bow comprising a body section adaptedto be seated on the. rim of the toilet bowl, said body section having a base pan portionlwith-high wide-flaring backrand side per-- tions and a low front portion, the Whole, rim forming a' smooth continuous curve, an, opening in. the base ofthe" pan corres'pondinggenerally to the toilet bowl opening; whereby thepan drains completelyv into said toilet'bowl, a foot-and-leg section including a shallow foot receiving pan having the rear portion elongated to leg heightgthe,

upper rim being outwardly turned to overliethe front rim of the body portion, the sides of said fo'otsection' being extended forwardly and flared outwardly from the rear thereof and means for securing the body section in place: on said bowl rim.

References Cited in the file of this patent p UNITED STATES PATENTS Lacy J Apr. '6, 847,324 'Ely Mar. 19, 1907 1,021,346 Wilson Mar. 26, 191 2 FOREIGNQPATENIS 568,041 Germany. Sept 8, 1931 

